Thursday, April 21, 2011

2 Photographers 1 Inspiration : Spring


This weeks promopt is Spring....and again I am a day late....
My excuse it was my oldest Spring concert at school last night, and what a totally enjoyable time we had..... I love seeing them in their concerts mainly as its a firm reminder to myself how far they have come since we became a family...and last night was a sure reminder. 

So Mellisa chose the prompt this time and she chose Spring.... well I wish Spring would come.
It has done nothing but rain here now for days...its cold .... that cold that for to days now Ive had to light the wood stove.

But in true mother nature style the daffodils have come to visit 

Its about the only thing that has may I add.....

Pay a visit to Mellisa and Kristi ....... Their imagines are wonderful.



♥ Rachel

Monday, April 18, 2011

The ABC: L is for Light



 So its official Blogger really isn't a good friend of mine..... last weeks post we scheduled to publish .... but it didn't .... and because I wasn't feeling so well...I never did check ...so we are now a week behind..or should I say I'm a week behind....

So L is for Light

And hopefully I will post M sometime this week

♥ Rachel

Thanks to Paint The Moon... the template that I use to show the ABC's is a download from Paint The Moon

Thursday, April 7, 2011

2 Photographers 1 Inspiration : Color


 They say better late than never, and in my case I would have to agree.
So yesterday was 2 Photographers 1 Inspiration : Color.
and I'm a day later...... but I have an excuses ....I have a sick child in the house and she is keeping me on my toes.
So in honor of coloring because we are bored...lets face it there is only so much TV you can watch and only so many books you can read. My photo for Color is pencils....bright shiny pencils which Miss Kayla helped me arrange.




If you have time why not hop on over to Kristi's and Mellisa's and see their take on Color ....worth a visit

♥ Rachel

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The ABC :K is for Kayla



 This was an easy one......
It seemed only right after last week that I featured my daughter.....

Her name is Kayla (fitting) and she is 7 going on 17 .......

She tells me she is going to be a singer when she grows up ........ and to be honest she can belt out a tune.

So here is K

So like we always say ...Remember anyone can join in with ABC Monday .... just show a craft or a color or a photo that is the letter we are on for the week.


Also let me apologize.... we are a day late in putting ABC Monday up as blogger for some reason did not want me to publish yesterday .   


♥ Rachel

Thanks to Paint The Moon... the template that I use to show the ABC's is a download from Paint The Moon

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

 This will be short but totally sweet....

I came up with two new prints for Mother's Day.....

and I thought I would share them with you

For the mother who loves to read stories


For the Hands That Hold Me

I know Mother's Day is a long way of here in the US.
But its good to plan ahead right?

♥ Rachel

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Around The World :Treasures by Teala




 Week two of around the world....and we are off to Canada

Teala holds a special place in my heart .... she was the driving force behind the Undiscovered Artists of Etsy.

She is my right hand woman, and I just love what she does.

So what is it she does I hear you ask..... more like what doesnt she do.

Teala is one very busy Lady ....... So with out any more blabbing from me let me introduce Teala to you

Teala where do you live and what is it like...

  I had been sort of transient ever since I started my undergrad degree at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Studying biology, I did field courses in China and Costa Rica, and moved to London, England and Gainesville, Florida to complete my master's degree. Getting to experience different environments is inspiring as a biologist and an artist. The tropical plants, animals, and insects. Different sights, smells, and cultures.  I met friends from around the world. Those years were full of excitement and adventure. But the love of a wonderful man brought me back to the area I grew up in, the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada (I live close to Niagara Falls).  Staying still has been an adjustment for my flighty personality, but I have my partner, my dog,  and my family here to keep me grounded. Through this last year, I've begun to rediscover and fall in love with the beauty of this area. We live on lake Erie, I can literally see the lake from my back door. And the changing seasons bring ever changing visitors to our yard. In the winter, the chickadees and an occasional woodpecker would visit the suet and bird feeder. I saw a lot of rabbit tracks too. Now that the weather is warming above 0 C, spring migration has started. These beautiful white swans have stopped to feed in the fields across the street. I'll try to get a picture, but they're shy. This morning I saw a fox run across the still-frozen lake, and soon you'll hear spring-peepers calling at night.  In the late spring and summer there will be bustling farmers markets selling local strawberries, peaches, potatoes, lettuce, cheese, eggs, you name it! The lake will be very different. Cottagers will come for vacation and we'll hear children laughing and playing. Fall is my favorite time of year. Birds and Monarch butterflies will be migrating south and squirrels will be in a mad rush to prepare for winter. The days will be warm, and the nights cool. Trees will be bursting with orange, yellow, and red leaves, and the asters will have purple blossoms. Even though I've come full circle, moving back to my childhood area, I feel like I've grown to appreciate  my unique home.



1: Lake Erie in the winter, with frozen queen Anne's lace
2: Teala's  front yard, the bird feeders & the shed.  
3: Sunset over lake Erie in the winter

What is your craft..where do you work from... workshop, home?

 I design and create handmade jewelry, using some very unique supplies. When I was a kid, my mom was a jewelry maker, selling her earrings, necklaces, and brooches at craft shows. I was delighted to recently find an old box of odd supplies hidden away in the basement of my parents house and was inspired to use these found materials as the bases for my new pendants. Giving new life to these very old (my guess is 15-20 years) pieces of copper plated metal, linoleum tile, and metal chains has given me a greater connection to my past & has inspired some very antique looking jewelry. I also use driftwood and recycled laminate flooring as the bases of my new pendants (since I'm having trouble finding more recycled linoleum). I make these pieces out of my home. I'm also a photographer...Mostly because I'm obsessed with nature. I started really getting into photography while in Gainesville, Florida as a grad student. Many of the photos on Etsy are from the Kanapaha Botanical Garden in Gainesville. I used to go for walks there to clear my head and de-stress. My newer photos explore the beauty of my own back yard as it changes with the seasons.


What inspires you?

 I like to see things in a way that most people wouldn't, then try to capture it. Sort of a 'stop and smell the roses' mentality, only visually. I love natural texture of leaves and wood, light and shadow, hidden surprises, and weird angles. It often means I'm lying in the dirt or half in the bushes taking a photograph, but it's fun! I think my love for nature comes through my jewelry, but I also am drawn to art deco fashion illustration. If you look carefully you'll see a lot of flora's, trees, birds....basically nature in these illustrations too. You just have to be looking for it.

 

Do you sell anywhere else other than Etsy?

 I sell pendants featuring birds at a local shop in Port Colborne called Yardbirds, and my hairdresser was nice enough to feature a few pendants as well. But my best sales are from family friends who drop by the house. I've made a few custom orders for friends as well. It's so much fun!

 What made you start your business?

When I graduated in the summer I found myself with all this free time that I never had before in my life. I was kind of sick of science (I wrote and defended my thesis in a whirlwind month) and decided to give some much needed attention to the creative side of my brain. When I discovered my mom's jewelry supplies I became a bit obsessed with making jewelry. It was so rewarding to have an idea and make something you could hold in your hand in a day. My friend told me about Etsy and I decided to give it a try.

Canadian Geese during fall migration on Lake Erie.
 
To visit Teala's Shop  Treasures by Teala 
Teala also has a blog which I recommend you to pay a visit A 21st Century Green Goddess
 And a Face Book Fan Page  

Teala thank you for this wonderful insight into your world...... 

♥ Rachel

Monday, March 28, 2011

The ABC : J is for Jayden



 Its ABC Monday ...... and this weeks I did play ahead.

J is for Jayden ..... My son ..... who will be turning 10 on Wednesday.
So J is in honor of his Birthday .......

I did a mini photo shot with my children some weeks ago ... and you may remember I posted a few of them

I also held one back its one of my favorites mainly because it captures his cheekiness, and he is (cause you know he had to) wearing his favorite tatty hat .....

When my mom saw this photo first thing she said was "He's got that flipping hat on again"


So a Big Happy Birthday  to Jayden ......


 

So like we always say ...Remember anyone can join in with ABC Monday .... just show a craft or a color or a photo that is the letter we are on for the week.
 

♥ Rachel

Thanks to Paint The Moon... the template that I use to show the ABC's is a download from Paint The Moon